Heritage
by Azaraith
Summary: On Earth in the Year 2030 AD, a rouge xenomorph, teenage orphan, and shady corporation are all intertwined in a sinister plot to weaponize the human race, cover up the death of hundreds of innocent children, and in the end: Destroy a Heritage.
1. Chapter I: Uninvited

**"Heritage"**

**Prologue:**

**Trent High School, Outskirts of Sarasota, FL**

**AD 2030**

**.**

**..**

**...**

**..**

**.**

Knox Ryker sits in his desk like a good upstanding citizen watching as his Algebra teacher sits in her desk in the corner of the classroom.

_Wake up idiot._

He locks eyes with the teacher and there is a certain mutual understanding between them, he continues to calculate the problem laid out on the tablet in front of him, the last on his cumulative exam.

_Pay attention. _

He finishes the problem within a minute of starting it and hands it to the welcoming teacher at the front of the classroom.

_Ohhh you're screwed now. _

But it reality it didn't go that way. The bell rings and the 15 year old wakes up from his snooze. 2 and a half problems are done out of 20. Everyone stands up, hands in their tests, Knox is the last to stand.

Hesitantly walks to front of class. Hands in paper. Teacher gives reptilian look.

"Looks like its off-planet work for you after all Ryker, pity" Knox looks down walking away.

_That's right, my name is Knox Ryker. Don't ask. Its a stupid name I know, blame my late parents. All my life I've known that my only way of surviving would be to stay one step ahead of our ever changing world. Ever since the first signs of alien life were discovered in a cave deep in the depths of Mars the Second Space Age had been on a roll and was rapidly changing the way we lived our everyday life. This, is the story of how the world...and me for that matter was changed. _

**Chapter I: The School Bully and An Unwanted Visitor **

_"I always had a repulsive need to be something more than human" ~ David Bowie_

I walk out of my 5th Hour class and hang a left walking to my locker at the far side of my large high school. I fiddle the lock for the tri numerical unlock code and that's when I see it.

A poster encouraging any teenager over the age of 16 to join the Colonial Marines, a small fighting force designed to protect the colonies on mars from any foreign alien threat.

I don't know why I didn't notice it before, not like it was subtle. The poster displayed a few marines saluting off into the distance while an x was spray painted over the head of a xenomorph, a species that the first astronauts colonizing Mars had found there, and an aggressive one at that.

Suddenly the stench of cheap spray cologne and sweat whiffs past my nose and I turn to see the school 'bully' Xander, one of his friends behind him strutting up to my locker smirking.

"Aw, look at that, little Fort Knox wants to be a CM!" Xander smirks. "Heh, hey everyone y-you hear that?! Knox thinks he's got what it takes to be a Marine!" His friend says in a whiny voice.

"Look just leave me alone Xander I'm not up for it today." I say turning back to my locker opening it slightly.

"Oh yeah? And what're you gonna do about it puny little Fort Knox," He shoves me. "You're such a whore like your mother, sucking facehugger dick," he says.

How the hell did he know that. I never told anyone that. I try desperately to push back the repressed memories of my mothers death. She'd been a scientist in some third party organization that studied xenomorphs.

She was pregnant with me when she was attacked by a facehugger that had somehow gotten into our house (likely someone planted a xeno egg, I'd always suspected that but the results never came up conclusive) and fell into a coma. My father found her unconscious after coming home late that night.

Two days later I was born while she was still in the hospital. She had the privilege of seeing me for five minutes before she started convulsing. The chestburster came out and killed her shortly afterwards.

I ball my fists. "I bet he has his own as a little fuck toy at home since he can't get any girls with his penci-" Xander is cut off by the door of my locker slammed in his face. He steps back momentarily shocked but that was all I needed.

I pop a left jab into his nose and then punch him in the jaw with my right. The growing crowd stood shocked, and just walked away as Xander laid limp on the floor, blood trailing from his nose.

I grabbed the rest of my books and carried on my way. I drop my books off in the Musical History room and make my way to the nearest bathroom afterwards, washing my face off in the outdated sinks, examining my face in the mirror solemnly.

Damn, did I always look this grim? A certain look in my eye would give anyone else the impression that I was depressed...which I was. I sigh and then walk out of the bathroom and that's when I heard it. The bloodcurdling scream. The crack and splatter and then the unsettling hiss afterwards.

I look out into the cafeteria outside of the bathroom squinting. Suddenly a wave of seniors ran into the lunchroom from their side of the school shrieking and running for their lives.

Suddenly a senior that rode my bus home grabbed my arm. "Come on kid what are you blind?!"and in an instant I am running from something I can't see. One of the seniors friends was running next to him as frantic as everyone else.

"How the hell did that thing get into the school?" He says followed by an answer of "I don't know there's a xeno testing facility down the road aways it might have escaped there."

And that's when I started hearing whispers in my head. It started with a hissing, and then parts of a sentence in English, and then more hissing in between

_'Ssssoooo pathetic,'_

More garbled hissing

_'Run insects.'_

Even more hissing

And then a tail goes through the chest of the senior that was running next to me. Suddenly my legs give out and I fall to the ground facing behind me as I slide into a wall gasping, trying to find my breath as I see the largest xenomorph ever rip the spine from the second seniors body.

Blood splatters on my grey hoodie as the xenomorph finally sees me and creeps towards me on all fours. Its mouth was bent in the cruelest smirk I'd ever seen.

The xeno opens its mouth as if to hiss but instead I hear English spoken in a males voice.

_'Whatsss thisss hm?'_

It tilts its head.

"H-How are you speaking English?" I didn't ask for mercy, I didn't beg not to get killed, instead I asked how it knew English.

The xeno examines me for the longest time but doesn't show me any harm. I was growing more uncomfortable with its close proximity to my face by the second.

_'Give me one reason I shouldn't kill you.'_

I hear a hiss of a voice and I look directly at the xeno. Suddenly an intense flash shines out of the window above my head directly on the xeno.

I hear the sounds of helicopter blades outside and while the xenomorph is distracted I grab an overturned stool next to me and lob it at its head.

I get up as fast as I can and start sprinting down the hallway to the right, unluckily for me that was exactly when the helicopter started spraying bullets at the damn thing.

It was brief since they'd seen me a split second afterward but glass shatters over me and a bullet grazes my ribcage.

I stagger to my knees but awkwardly get back up as I limp run for the stairs hearing the xenomorph angrily growl behind me.

I manage to go down most of the stairs holding my bleeding side but stumble down the rest. I look up at the top of the stairwell seeing the xeno hop onto the top railing hissing at me.

I didn't stop to listen to what it said as I get back up running down into the main floor of the school.

I hear more gunfire, making it about halfway down the hallway before the xeno catches up with me and uses its long tail to trip me, I fall and the side of my head receives most of the blow.

I hear the faint sounds of gunshots and an eerie ringing as a dark shadow darts past me, the last recognition of consciousness as black washes over my vision.

_**To Be Continued.**_


	2. Chapter II: Hunt

**Chapter II: Hunt**

I dreamt heavily in my unconsciousness. In my dream I was being chased by a large xenomorph through the twists and turns of some chemical processing plant.

I never saw the xeno, just heard it's hissing and other guttural noises. I finally came to a dead end, running into the railing of the platform I was on.

I turn around to see the eyeless, smirking face of the xenomorph that attacked my high school and it shoves me over the railing.

"NNNOOOOOO!" I yell out in distress as I fall into a vat of xenomorph acid.

In a cold sweat I finally wake up in the small bed of my foster home sitting bolt upright. Panting I look around and let out a breath of a laugh internally scolding myself for being so distressed over a dream.

I lay back down wiping the sweat from my brow. Suddenly I feel a stinging pain in my chest and I cough slightly, the sensation feeling much like heartburn.

I look at my chest, something was pushing against the skin causing brief strange unnatural growths. Something wanted out.

My eyes widen in protest as a chestburster explodes out of my ribcage and that's when I really wake up.

I was not, in fact, in my bedroom but in a hospital room. I look to my right as I see movement, bright light flooding into my eyes.

I see movement on my right and watch as my foster mother Rachel smiles. "Hello Knox, you've been asleep for awhile. The doctors started to suspect that your concussion had knocked you into a coma," I manage a weak smile.

"With my luck I'm surprised I didn't." I mumble. Rachel still smiles, "Hey come on you're lucky you escaped that school with your life. That damn psychopath with the gun that attacked the school escaped before the police got there," I frown at this.

"Wh-What? Psychopath with a gun? Rachel what the hell are you talking about, a xenomorph attacked the school-I-I saw it killing people!" Rachel chuckles.

"Oh come on Knox, you know the only xenomorphs are on Mars slowly growing extinct thanks to the colonial marines, and besides, what else would explain the gunshots everyone could hear from 5 blocks away?"

"Rachel that was probably the giant military helicopter shooting the damn thing!" Rachel has a vicious anger in her eyes by now.

"I have had enough of your lies young man! That bump on your head must have seriously done some damage because you are talking nonsense!" She grabs her purse from the chair besides her.

"Now, I'm going home to get Brad and we will discuss this further when you wake up." A nurse walks into the room from behind Rachel and injects a syringe of something into my IV. A few seconds later and I've fallen asleep again.

This time I don't dream, but when I wake up again, it's slowly. A shower of golden light from the night lights of downtown Sarasota shine through the open window but the rest of the room is dark.

But the thing that really caught my eye was the xenomorph hanging from the ceiling upside down, looking over me almost curiously.

In an instant my hand darts for the panic button on the side of the cot I was laying on. But the xenomorph is too fast and it grabs my arm tightly as it smirks, starting a low hiss.

_'I wouldn't try that unless you want to lose your arm.' _It stares at me with a taunting look.

I open my mouth weakly, "What do you want with me..." I croak and the xeno slowly crawls down to the foot of my bed.

_'Well, normally I'd be here to finish the job, but since someone can finally understand me...I have a playmate.' _

I shudder at the xeno creeps forwards tilting its head as it uses a single clawed finger to tilt my chin.

I grit my teeth as I try to slip out from underneath the xenomorph but to no use. It let's out a hiss-like chuckle.

_'Oh humans, so ignorant. Even if you were to escape where would you go? The door is locked from the outside and the window leads you two dozen stories to your death. Its just you and me.'_

I look at the xeno with the most spiteful look I could muster up from the bottom of my heart. "If we're going to be spending as much time together as you propose, can I at least have the satisfaction of knowing my tormentors name?"

The xeno gives a hiss-chuckle again. _'My creators labeled me Anubis, after the Egyptian God of Death,'_

His smirk grows wider, showing his deadly set of teeth, _'and you my dear?'_

The way he said that set off a dozen not-ok alarms in my head but I give him the benefit of the doubt and show him the kindness of response.

"I'm Knox... Knox Ryker..." I say hesitantly and I see his tail swishing excitedly behind him, making me more uncomfortable.

_'Ouuu, I like it... Gritty...but it pops,' _

"Uhhh...thanks but... If you don't mind me asking...how are we able to speak to each other?"

_'Ahh, good question, honestly I don't know myself. Perhaps its more of a question for my Creators to answer.' _Anubis says straightening his ink black body.

"Your...creators?" I raise an eyebrow.

_'Well, perhaps by now you have noticed I'm quite the lone wolf. I was a lab experiment, one of the first xenos to be birthed from a human on Earth. The white jackets here studied me and experimented on my DNA. Whatever made them want to release me on that institution of yours is beyond me. But now I'm free, and have something to do. So I guess you're stuck with me, heh.' _He nudges me with his tail.

_'Anyways, you're not nearly well enough to go out yet. So lay down, and fall asleep most likely thinking of me.' _He shoves me down with his tail a bit harshly and crawls off the bed strutting towards the window.

_'I'll keep in touch.'_ And with that, he flips out the window slickly.

I look at the ceiling, my head pounding more as a migraine develops. _What happened at my school wasn't an accident? And who are the white jackets Anubis was referring to?_

"Nngh," Black specks dot my vision and I black out, all this being too much to deal with.

**Two Days Later**

**Knox Ryker's Foster Home**

**North Sarasota, FL**

I'd been out of school of course for the past two days. It was Friday now, and normally I'd feel relieved. But now I just felt empty.

My 'mother' and her boyfriend were in the Bahamas for their 5th year together, leaving the house to me until Wednesday.

I sat in a lawn chair on the patio in the back of the house. Sunglasses, shorts, and a grey v-neck all worn by me.

My bedrest had ended yesterday but I still felt tired and I had a nasty scar on my forehead from when I got my concussion.

I hear the click-clack of heels and the garden gate opening glancing to my left to see the blonde neighbor girl walking timidly as she manages a small smile.

"He-Hey Knox," she says with a small blush looking down slightly. I smile, sitting up.

"You really don't have to keep checking up on me like this Millie. I'm perfectly fine," I say.

"Well Mrs. Tatianne didn't want you to be left alone for a week without anyone checking to see if you were okay, she was a bit shaken up after that freak attacked your school. And besides, you're still recovering from that bullet wound and bump on the head." She says.

I stagger up snorting, "She just didn't want to admit that she'd rather be on her vacation than watching me,"

Millie purses her lips slightly and clears her throat slightly. "Well I uh...have a tutor coming at 6 so I'll have to be going, bye Knox." At that she turns around and leaves leaving me with my mouth hanging open slightly.

Finally, I scoff and pound my forehead. Murmuring "Stupid!" As I walk inside.

I put on a thin white dress shirt when I get inside and slip on the purple/white Supras I'd gotten for my 15th birthday a few months earlier.

Deciding to take a trip to the small Mexi-mart down the road, I grab my keys and some extra cash and walk out the door noting that it was almost 7 and the sun would be setting soon, wanting to get back before it was dark.

I don't know if it was the fact that I'd taken a bullet a few days ago or I was just getting slow, but it seemed like forever before I made it to the store.

When I do I grab my usual energy drink, even yawning as I grab it out of one of the store refrigerators. The store didn't seem too crowded, in fact there was no one in here save for the cashier who I'd seen walk out back as I'd walked in.

I walk up to the front counter tapping my drink on the glass counter absent-mindedly. I hear some thumping out back and lean over the counter to see if I could glimpse the cashier.

"Hey, amigo, customer!" I shout. I lean back and spot a new kind of gum they were selling up at the front counter. I pick it from the cardboard box it was laying in examining it silently.

I sigh, "Some time today por favor," I shout again as I put the gum in my back pocket tapping my hi-tops on the tiled floor.

At this point I just left 5 dollars on the counter and walked out of the store. I hang a left and pass the alley that led to the back of the store hearing a slight groaning.

I squint my eyes making out a limp body in the back of the alley, half of it hidden behind the wall.

I automatically sense something wrong with this picture as I slowly walk to the scene. "Uh...dude?" I say as I round the corner and then end up almost spilling my lunch onto the ground.

The man's throat and chest were torn open, his face unrecognizable, his name was Horatio, nametag having a single drop of blood on it.

I turn around only to bump into Anubis who stood a few feet taller than me smirking. I turn around again starting off only trip over Horatio's dead body.

Coming face to mutilated face I scream but nothing comes out and turn onto my back facing Anubis as I scoot away, the blood from the dead man having ruined my perfectly good shirt.

Anubis gets down to all fours and slowly crawls up to me obviously having taken great pleasure in this.

_'You like my art? I made it just for you,' _he purrs into my ear, making me more uncomfortable.

Spotting an opening, I headbutt him and tuck my feet in rolling to the side standing up again as he hisses, his smirk gone.

_'What the fuck, I wasn't going to do anything.' _He growls as he turns to face me still on all fours.

"I didn't know that, and you seeing me now resolves my suspicion that I wasn't just hallucinating the first two times I saw you." I say standing my ground.

Anubis smirks again, and suddenly pounces on me. _'Is that so?' _He grazes my ear with his inner jaws chuckling.

"And...why are you here...again?" I ask pushing his head away

_'Well, I was looking for something to eat and saw you walk in there just as this lucky human walked out and figured I could kill two birds with one stone,'_ he grabs my arms and picks me up placing me against the wall of the alley.

_'How about you?' _He says inspecting one of his sharp claws.

"Well," I grab my energy drink that I'd dropped on the ground. "I was planning on getting something to drink and then heading home but obviously not anymore." I open the can and it sprays all over my already bloody shirt from the carbonation of getting dropped and then picked up in the small space of 30 seconds.

"Gah! Dammit! There goes half of my well earned money." I throw the now empty can off to the side. Anubis chuckles.

"Here, let me help you with that," He says taking a single finger and dragging it from the top of my collar down the line of buttons quickly popping them all, grabbing my shirt and putting it to his mouth sucking out the blood and juice before his acidic saliva burns up the rest.

I growl punching him in the shoulder, "You meant to do that." He grins.

_'Maybe, but now I've allowed you an ease of movement, and that's what you're going to need if you're going to be hunting with me.' _I'm confused.

"Wait, you barely ate the owner of the store now you want to kill more people? Hell no! I'm not becoming part of that, how about you just fuck off!" Anubis growls making me back down slightly.

_'You're coming with if I have drag you there. Besides, if we're going to be rolling with each other in the near future you need to get used to this, because people will die. And you need to be ready for that.' _He had me backed to the wall.

_'Understand?' _He says and I nod, that stupid smirk growing on his face again. _'Wonderful, now follow me.' _He turns around his tail swishing past my face as he does so.

I follow him through the back alleys of my suburban neighborhood until we come to the back of a bar. No one was inhabiting the small space except for a man and a woman arguing under a lamppost next to a fenced in lot bordering the bar.

_'What are you thinking?' _Anubis says noticing that I'd been looking at the area for awhile.

"I'm thinking that I don't like being in the close proximity of a hungry xenomorph for an extended amount of time." I say bluntly and Anubis cackles.

_'Hurry it up then, Sherlock.' _He nudges me with his tail.

At that moment the man arguing with the woman under the lamppost had struck her down, his words were mumbled but I'd managed to make out a few choice ones. Obviously drunk.

Suddenly I bolt up stomping towards the man.

_'Stop! What are you doing!? Let me handle this!' _Anubis frantically whispers but I was already halfway there.

"Hey asshole!" I shout and the woman gets up and runs away while the man is distracted

"Get lost kid, you shouldn't be alone out at a time of night like this when monsters are a prowlin'" he flicks out a switchblade knife smirking as he creeps over to me.

With all my might I launch my foot back and let it shoot forwards into his groin. He drops his knife, falling to his knees, and suddenly the fence behind him breaks open and Anubis pops through taking the man to the ground ripping his throat out.

"The irony is laughable." I crack my knuckles as I let him finish, the look of terror still on the mans face.

Anubis looks up at me and grins, blood soaking his maw. Suddenly he springs up and grabs me hoisting me over his shoulder.

_'You get the express ride home; so damn slow when you're walking' _He says a bit rudely as he takes me home in about 5x the speed it would normally take.

When we arrive he sets me down in front of my patio door. "Uh...thanks...I guess," I say as I open my door and he glances inside curiously.

And then it hits me, he probably didn't have anywhere nice to stay if he was having to hide from the public eye.

"D-Do you... I mean, would you like to stay here... For awhile? My foster mother is gone until Wednesday and its a big house...you wouldn't be imposing," I say and he kind of tilts his head.

"Unless you try to eat me that is," I give a small smile and he simply walks in as I step aside. I follow behind closing the patio door and when I turn around he's probably already looped the house five times because he was running around the house like he was at a track meet.

He finally skids up to me knocking me over nodding. _'Its a keeper.' _I give a half hearted look and get up after he rolls off me.

I walk up the stairs to my room, Anubis watching from the doorway as I change into a thin t-shirt and fitness shorts.

I notice Anubis start to curl up into a ball outside the door much like a dog does when it gets ready for sleep.

I get in my own bed only realizing how tired I felt when my head hit the pillow. I yawn and turn off the lamp next to me.

"Goodnight Anubis." I say through my yawn.

_'Goodnight human.' _I hear from the hallway, and then I fall asleep.

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_


	3. Chapter III: Progress

**Chapter III: Progress**

**A/N: Before this Chapter begins I just want to thank all of you who read and gave feedback on the first two Chapters of Heritage virtually overnight. I honestly didn't think it would get this popular so fast, so thank you for the support.**

**Anubis P.O.V. **

I awaken to the teenage human and his subconscious mutters and winces from meters away.

Perking up, I crawl into the room he resided in silently, creeping up unto the foot of the large bed.

Waves of heat were emanating from his body and I didn't have to smell for his fear to know he was terrified.

I crawl forwards until I'm directly over him, tilting my head slightly.

_'Kno-'_ I start but he bolts up screaming, I jerk back falling off the bed.

He catches his breath realizing he was just dreaming and then looks at me.

"What are you doing in my room?" He asks breathlessly.

I slowly crawl back onto the bed. _'I heard you in distress. I came to see what was wrong.' _

"I'd prefer...If you weren't in here Anubis." He says in between gasps.

'_Oh don't be so insipid Knox,' _I creep forwards grabbing his leg chuckling. He kicks my hands away.

I growl as I jump on him pinning him to the bed. '_Come on, loosen up tight-ass."_ Suddenly his head jerks forwards into mine and I hiss as his fists slam against my head. I fall sideways onto the floor and he gets up planting his foot on my chest.

"If we're going to be 'partners' there needs to be a lot of progress concerning our relationship." He states and I merely give him a smirk.

**Five Hours Later**

**Knox P.O.V.**

I straighten my shirt around the waist of my jeans, looking into the floor to ceiling mirror I had in the extended hallway of a closet that jutted out from the side of my room, sighing heavily.

Anubis waited for me outside the doorway and he follows me down the stairs dutifully. I walk into the kitchen, the cold tile floor tickling my feet and soon the soft flow of the cold air against my lower body as I open the refrigerator.

I pull out a carton of milk and take some cereal from the cabinet lazily pouring myself a bowl. I sit down and Anubis looks at me curiously. I scoff subtly and drop my spoon in my bowl.

"Sorry." I grunt as I get up and open the fridge again sorting through all the food.

"Dammit Rachel you're such a vegan." I mumble to myself when I suddenly feel something in between my legs.

"Hey what the hell?!" I see Anubis's elongated head push past my legs and into the refrigerator. His inner mouth pops out grabbing a raw t-bone that had been hidden at the bottom of the fridge.

He slinks back into the corner making quick work of the saran wrap covering the meat. I hear guttural noises and snarling as he devours the meat in the corner, blood and juices spilling out making a mess.

He turns to me grinning, red dripping from his mouth. Nothing was left, not even the bone.

'_Want some?' _he asks, revealing a hunk of meat in his palm, still dripping with blood and saliva.

I shudder.

"No thanks." I say rubbing my arm suddenly cold. '_Suit yourself.'_ he eats the meat, still grinning. I dump my cereal into the sink having lost my appetite.

**Later**

I tape the piece of paper to the wall in the living room where Anubis sat. What did the paper have written on it you might ask?

House rules. Like I said, Anubis and Me had a lot of progress to make.

"Rule Number 1, try to keep the house clean, I don't want anyone to come over and have this place looking like a Jackson Pollock painting." Anubis snickers and I merely skip to the next on the list.

"Rule Number 2, there will be absolutely no unauthorized entrance of my room unless I say so, and that is final." Anubis gives a growl but then smirks.

'_What about unauthorized entrance of other places?' _he gives a deep chuckle and I frown.

"Alright so I'm going to ignore that sexual innuendo and continue on with the last rule," I turn back to the paper. "There is to be no sneaking out during the daylight hours, which, at the moment, happen to be 6:00 in the morning to 5:00 at night," I turn to Anubis.

"Is all of that understood?" I say and he salutes me. I nod and turn to the clock, it was about 7.

"Alright, I'm going to the store, I'll be back in a few hours okay? Yeah okay." I say in a patronizing voice as he gives me a dismissing look.

I turn to open the door and my heart nearly jumps out of my throat. Millie stands there smiling, and I shut the door within half a second of opening it. I didn't have time to wonder if she'd seen Anubis I just planted my back against the door.

"Hide! HIDE!" I say a harsh whisper and Anubis looks around and clumsily climbs into the closet next to the backdoor. I straighten my shirt before turning to the front door.

I open it slowly only to find that Millie was gone. I poke my head out looking around and then close the door, figuring that she probably just left after having seen that I was alive and well.

She sure proved me wrong.

I hear a knock at the back door and turn to see her on the porch smiling. She waves and I have no choice but to walk to the door and let her in.

"Hey Knox, I just wanted to check up on you." She says and I glance at the closet as she leans on its door.

"Uh...yeah I...I'm good." I say awkwardly as she smiles puffing her chest out slowly. I find myself trailing down to her breasts.

She catches this and giggles provocatively starting to inch forwards until her nose is touching against mine. She smirks and grabs the back of my head kissing me.

I didn't know whether I should be more shocked about the fact that the sweet, shy neighbor girl that I'd known since I was 4 had suddenly become so open...or the fact that her saliva tasted like...oil.

Suddenly the closet door bursts open and Anubis hisses as he grabs her by her neck throwing her into the wall.

"Anubis what the fuck!? I told you to stay in the closet!" I'd never seen him like this, he was more...territorial.

'_The bitch isn't secreting any pheromones.' _He says as she gets up her face blank now. No shock, no fear, emotionless.

"So. The beast uncaged at last." She says, her voice monotone. She holds her fingers behind her ears. "We have the boy and xenomorph. Go for reacquiring," She says and Anubis hisses.

She pulls a knife from her boot and chucks it with pinpoint accuracy, it heads straight for my chest. Suddenly with reflexes I'd never previously tapped into, I grab the knife, toss it into my other hand, and throw it into her neck.

My eyes widen at what I'd just done but what was more surprising was that a white, milky substance starts pouring out of her neck. She falls to the ground as electricity surges through her, and I growl.

"Fucking droid. I've been set up." I say not even fazed that I'd just gotten a knife thrown at me.

Anubis turns to me and suddenly grabs me. '_You're mine. I don't want anyone else taking you away from me. Like I said, we're partners.' _I shrink in still uncomfortable with his close contact.

"Yeah fine okay, just don't take it literally." I shudder, but this time Anubis doesn't smirk or grin or show any sign of enjoyment towards my displeasure.

He lets me go and I start towards the door but a light shines through and hear knocking at my front door.

"Knox Ryker! You have to the count of ten to come quietly, or we'll have to remove you by force. The countdown starts now! One!" Horror flashes in my eyes as I hear cop sirens and helicopter blades chopping through the air.

"Shit shit shit!" I say and Anubis hisses protectively. '_Too many to rush. 40, maybe 50 surrounding the house, not including reinforcements already on the way.' _I run my hands through my hair.

"Three!" I hear shouting outside. "Okay, okay. There's a fallout shelter beneath the house, it has a vault door leading to the cities' abandoned subway system. We can escape through there. Follow me." I rush to the basement door, hearing the count of five behind me.

I run down the stairs hearing the clatter of Anubis' claws on the ceiling. I run until I get to what looks like a curved manhole cover in the corner of the room. When I open it, it flips outwards revealing a ladder that sank down into a hole about 4 feet in diameter.

I get on it and start climbing down but when I hear the kicking open of a door upstairs, I slide down. I'd climbed about 20 feet down, and as soon as Anubis had gotten into the hole and closed the hatch, darkness enveloped me.

I stop sliding and crack a glow-stick I'd grabbed off a shelf from the basement and drop it down the hole. Only a few meters left. I go the rest of the way shakily and pick up the glow-stick I'd dropped when I get down.

Anubis jumps down next to me, wanting to stick close obviously. I hear pounding on the locked hatch above us and wave the glow-stick around the room until the light shines on a vault door at the far end of the room.

"Yes!" I exclaim as I pull on the door, only moving it a few inches. Anubis races to my side helping me pull the door until it's open enough for us to slip through. Again, he closes the door behind us and we race through the tunnel before us. I was surprised I hadn't fallen what with all the darkness.

Anubis suddenly slows down. '_Let me carry you, you're not fast enough and I can see better in the darkness anyways.' _I hesitate at first but he had a point and I nod. I sense he takes some satisfaction in this, although if he was smirking I couldn't see it because of all the darkness.

This time he picks me up bridal style instead of how he'd thrown me over his shoulder the night before.

'_Comfortable?' _He asks, this time I could _hear _the smirk in his voice. "Shut up and keep going," I say slightly embarrassed that I was, in fact, comfortable.

After a long while of darting through tunnels until Anubis was sure they wouldn't be able to find us, he finds a crack in the wall just big enough for his body to fit that led into a larger cavern, about twice the size of my room.

He lets me through first and then follows behind me. "Perfect. We can stay here for the night." I say as I drop the glowstick I'd been carrying in the corner.

Anubis simply curls up in the corner, and I sit down, laying against the small backpack of supplies I'd taken with me. I hadn't realized how cold I was until I sat down. I shiver, my teeth chattering.

I could just barely see Anubis' form in the corner, the dying light of the glow-stick dim against his leathery black skin. I look at him thinking of how warm he was when he was carrying me.

I gulp and then raise my shaky voice. "C-can I...I mean...do you mind if I?..." I could hardly see Anubis' subtle grin but it was there as he sat up opening his arms welcomingly.

I crawl the small distance to him and sit down awkwardly as he encases me in his arms, warmth washing over me. I finally rest my body laying against his chest, a small purring erupting from him.

I didn't know if I felt uncomfortable or satisfied, but I didn't have time to wander as sleep starts to take hold of me.

Before I fully fall unconscious however I hear the soft cooing of his voice.

'_What can I say Knox? We've made progress.' _

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_


	4. Chapter IV: Seclusion

**Chapter IV: Seclusion **

I wake up feeling the smooth, leathery skin that could only belong to that of a xenomorph wrapped around me. Looking up, I see Anubis, still sleeping.

Surprised that I hadn't woken him up, I move slightly, which only led to him tightening his grip. Had this been another person I probably would've laughed and called it cute but he was literally crushing me.

"A-Anubis...c...rushing….m-me…" I grunt and Anubis awakens with a start, looking down at me confused, then he lets go.

'_Apologies.' _he grins. "Jesus, you're like a fucking boa constrictor." I stand up and stretch out, hearing a few joints crack back into place as I shudder.

Suddenly I remember where we were and then look around. The room was dim, and I could tell where everything was, the ceiling, the exit, my backpack, and the glow stick in which had long fizzled out by now.

So how could I see so clearly? It was like watching a cartoon where the character is in a dark room and you know they can't see anything but you can still make out everything in the room just for the sake of the show.

At first I just figured it was my eyes adjusting but it was ridiculous how well I could see, especially for being underground with there being no light source whatsoever.

'_Knox. Knox. Knox? Knox!' _I finally hear and I turn my head staring at Anubis who'd crawled next to me sniffing me. "What?" I asked confused.

'_Are you okay? You've been looking around the room like an idiot for a few minutes now.' _I shake my head. "I-I don't know, it's like...I couldn't see anything last night but now I can see almost clear as day." I explain, he tilts his head.

'_Intriguing...' _he says standing at his full height now.

"Whatever, probably just my eyes adjusting now that I think of it, being shrouded in complete darkness for hours at a time and then waking up to darkness again. Speaking of, what time is it now?" I ask partially to myself.

I pull my phone out and turn it on, a blast of white light exploding onto my face. I turn it off blinking.

"Alright, so that isn't happening." I walk over to my backpack and fish around for the watch from the 90s that I'd bought at a pawn shop. When I find it I squint at it, barely making out the 9:47 it displayed.

So my natural alarm didn't seem to be thrown off at all.

I grab my stomach when it suddenly grumbles.

"Ugh, I gotta get something to eat." I start towards the crack in the wall but Anubis stops me with his tail wrapping around my midsection.

He jumps in front of me hissing, causing me to fall backwards. "Woah! What the hell is your deal!?" I say, his tail still wrapped around my stomach.

_'Its not safe yet, we have to stay underground for the next few days.'_

I could see his point, for whatever reason, I was probably the most wanted man in Florida right now.

"Yeah...I guess you're right." I sit down frowning. "I'm going to go crazy cooped up in here." I mumble.

'_At least you have me, huh?' _He crawls towards me brushing his elongated head past my arm, I inch away from him.

"That doesn't make me feel any better," I say rubbing my arm slightly.

'_Oh come on, you're such a killjoy, you need to learn to loosen up a bit more.' _He cooes next to my ear.

"Yeah well it's a bit challenging to do that when I'm stuck 100 feet underground in a dark cave with nothing but a cannibalistic monster to accompany me."

'_I see your point, but you really do have nothing to fear. Any other one of my kind would have tore you apart by now. I've bedded you.' _His arms wrap around my waist and I shudder.

He sits me on his lap purring. I try to ignore it by asking a question, mostly just me thinking aloud.

"What do I do when I start to starve?" Anubis tilts his head and then grins setting me down as he crawls off, I hear a momentary screeching and splatter and then he comes back holding a dead rat in his hand.

"You're kidding."

_**Later**_

My face burns as I puke into the blackness of the river of scum and excrement, the nearby sewer line which the subway system was connected to by natural tunnels had been easy to find by smell, but it also unnerved me that we were so close to civilization.

Anubis reassured me that there wasn't a manhole for miles, how he knew that, I didn't know but I just went with it.

I lean back up, sitting on my knees and wiping my mouth, I look over my shoulder at Anubis, who leaned against the wall inspecting his claws with a knowing smirk.

"Fuck you." I grumble as I walk back towards the tunnel leading to the abandoned subway system but suddenly I'm lifted into the air and slammed into the wall roughly.

'_What was that?' _Anubis challenges and I struggle in his grip.

"Anubis...l-let me go...this hurts." I plead, but he doesn't let off.

_'You know, I do quite fancy you squirming like that in my grasp, completely helpless to do anything.' _

Suddenly my foot hits him in the chin and he drops me, and I run back towards the cave, not knowing what else to do as those words had overwhelmed me.

I run away from Anubis, a sickening urge to place myself as far away from him as possible washing over me, I breath heavily, turning a few corners until I run out of breath and lean against a wall heaving.

The heavy breathing turns into choppy exhales as I start to sob, sliding down the wall slowly as I bury my face in my hands, as if I were just now realizing the full extent of my situation. I didn't even have to look up to know that Anubis was sitting there watching.

"I'm going to die down here in this dark pit, all alone, and you're going to feast on my dead corpse.." I say, in hysterics at this point. Anubis growls.

'_Knox, don't be ridiculous I'm not-'_

"Stop lying! This is just a part of your sick game! Keep me around until I'm of no more entertainment, and then you'll just eat me when you've finally killed me!" I say, slamming my fists on the ground.

Anubis approaches, more gentle this time.

'_Knox, I'm not going to harm you. We're partners, remember?' I look up to stare at him, a reassuring smile on his face._

Suddenly I latch onto him, wrapping my arms around his shoulders, him being taken aback at first, but then he hugs back, his tail wrapping around both of us.

'_Let's get back to the cave, yes?' _He says, and I nod, him picking me up and running me back to the cave, keeping me close to his chest.

_**Later**_

I sit on Anubis' lap, listening to the rain hit the streets above us, thinking to myself as Anubis plays with my hair contently.

"You don't think the cave will flood do you?" I ask him, looking up over my shoulder at him to see him shake his head.

'_These cave systems would have long since been submerged if they could be flooded.' _He says, playing with my hair still, which gets me thinking again.

"It will be strange leaving the caves to see my reflection once more….I wonder how different I will look." I say, bringing my hand to my cheek.

'_I think you look ravishing.' _Anubis voices his opinion and I feel my cheeks light up as I grin. "Flatterer." I say and he only smirks, nuzzling his head next to mine.

About an hour once more and I feel the grip of sleep start to take effect, Anubis having positioned himself so that I might yet be more comfortable laying on him.

I frown to myself and I can tell that Anubis senses something is wrong because he shifts slightly.

'_What's wrong?'_

"It's just…." I sigh looking up at the ceiling of the cave. "God….there isn't a human up there that's willing to help me is there...who knows what rumours those fucking people are spreading about me. I bet they payed Rachel off and she's living on a beach right now with her disgusting boyfriend."

Anubis growls at this. '_I'll kill every last one of them if I have to.' _I look up at Anubis, grinning at how serious he looked. He looked down at me.

'_What?'_

I only chuckle, shaking my head. "Thanks Anubis." I act like I was comfortable now, starting to fall asleep once more.

_**Anubis**_

Anubis hadn't fallen asleep, He didn't need to. But the boy did, his boy. So Anubis let him, stroking his hair and skin while he slept, making sure he was safe and that no one would attempt to maim him. Or worse, take him from Anubis.

No, he would never let them take Knox from him. Ever. He would die before that happened. As he grew more agitated he didn't seem to realize that his hands had gone under Knox's shirt feeling around against that soft, warm skin.

Instinct seemed to take over as the small human boy in his arms squirmed slightly in his sleep. "Shh…" Anubis purred as he thought silently to himself. He would rip those damned humans apart, bring their heads to Knox as trophies. Oh he would be so _pleased_…

By now his leathery hands had gone to more dishonorable places as his fingers slid under the hem of his jeans, feeling around suspiciously. Unbeknownst to Anubis, he had started salivating on the human, the translucent liquid dripping onto his shoulder.

Anubis would show everyone that Knox was his, yes. A simple mark would do. A small marking couldn't hurt the boy. Slowly, he leaned down, his inner jaw sliding out of his mouth and grazing Knox's neck slightly.

After smelling him thoroughly, Anubis planted his jaw on Knox's neck and sucked slightly, careful not to simply rip his throat out. But this wouldn't do, his mark wasn't made yet. He had to use more force.

Anubis knew Knox wouldn't like this but it had to be done. It was imperative that Knox had his mark, everyone needed to know. Knox was his.

The boy was writhing and squirming now, but this was a necessary evil. He needed to be marked…

_**Knox**_

I awoke feeling like the largest leech on Earth had attached itself to my neck. Although this leech wasn't from Earth I realized as I see Anubis' long head in my peripherals, as well as his arms wrapped around me under my shirt.

"Anubis? What….what are you doing? Stop, you're hurting me! Fuck! Ow-OW!" I yelled out as I tried to pull away, only making the pain worse. I could feel the blood leaking from my neck now as I realized that whatever he thought he was doing, he wasn't. Because this was feeding, and he was doing it slowly.

"Anubis you're hurting me-STOP!" I managed to make him falter a minute as he released me, still holding on around my waist loosely. I kick away from him, holding my arm up defensively as he stares, obviously confused.

'_You need to be marked Knox….I know it hurts but it has to be done.' _He says, slowly creeping towards me.

"M-Marked? What the fuck is that supposed to mean?! Is that what you call giving me a death hickie? Listen, Anubis, you're not yourself right now, you need to calm down. I don't know if it's Xenomorph puberty, or-or what the fuck ever, just leave me alone with your marking bullshit!" I crawl backwards towards the exit to the cave, but he knew exactly what I was doing and grabbed my thigh, pulling me closer to him. He growled now, grabbing my other leg with his other hand and pushed both of my legs out.

'_You think you're in control here Knox? You think that you get to tell me what to do, that you're the boss of me? I could tear you to pieces and go on with my day without looking twice. You're lucky I find your features too appealing to do that.'_ Anubis was thoroughly scaring me now, his inner jaw having popped out again, grazing my face as I turn away trembling.

"Anubis...please...stop...I-I thought we were….friends...y-you can't do this." Anubis' hand grabbed at the hem of my jeans now, growling animalistically. '_You don't have a say in what I do anymore, boy.'_ He says darkly as his inner jaw latches onto my neck again and I scream in pain as he wrestles at my pants.

I slap and smack at him, trying to push him away but to no avail. That changes quickly however as suddenly the room flashes the brightest white possible, and a loud bang is heard. This would've been enough for any normal pair of eyes but mine had been drowned in darkness for days now. I yell out in pain clutching my face, not even registering that Anubis' touch had left me. I couldn't see anything for the moment, my hearing started to come back however, so that was a good sign.

My eyes were shut for now, so I had to get around by hearing until I got to the darker reaches of the subway system. I could hear Anubis' growling and yelling somewhere far off, as well as gunshots, and there didn't seem to be anyone near me right now.

Suddenly I tripped over something soft and held my hands out, bracing myself on a warm liquid, suddenly realizing what I'd fallen on.

Well.

At least there wasn't anyone _alive _near me right now.

I walk out of the cave through the space in the wall that had apparently been blown open from whatever military outfit was attacking us. I turn right, feeling along the wall so that I don't stumble as I open my eyes slightly. I was probably blind, but I wouldn't be able to tell because it's dark as all hell down here anyways.

I hear yelling and hissing and shooting every so often but I don't walk near it. I needed to get out of these damn caves. Soon enough my impeccable vision did come back, and I was able to see everything better than before even. Strange.

I break into a run now, realizing that I was getting closer to where the dead bodies were centralized. Which meant Anubis was close by as well, I didn't know what I'd do if I ever saw his face again but I couldn't turn back now. I could only hope that I'd find an exit, and soon.

It was now that I'd lost my only friend through this that I realized how utterly alone I was. Thoughts of how I was going to have to live in the run now. Seclusion indefinitely, until I got to the bottom of this.

And now that I had a clue, I was one step closer to doing so, and finally solving this madness. Pulling the piece of fabric that I'd ripped off one of the arms of the fallen intruders out of my pocket, I crease my brow, staring at the logo, pondering what Weyland-Yutani had to do with this.

I'm yanked away from all of that when I hear footsteps, but not from a human, no. I had the feeling I was the only alive human down here by now. It was Anubis for sure, he could smell me.

'_Knoooox….come out come out….those nasty men are gone, we can continue on with our quiet time now, hm?' _Not a chance in hell that would happen. Not now at least when Anubis wasn't in his right mind.

I look around quickly, long corridors on either side. Then I look down at the stream of sewage sighing. I wish I could say this would be the first time I would dive into shit and piss.

_**Later**_

I'd managed to lose Anubis by shaking my scent off in the murky depths of the sewage stream, only downside being that I smelled like every repugnant smell known to man. Stepping out of the stream, I look around again and, my eyes being as sensitive as they were, spotted the nearest sliver of light and I looked in the direction of it.

There was a ladder, leading up to civilization once more. Of course there was always the possibility that the men who were sent to kidnap/kill us had come down through it but I was swimming long enough in that shitty stream to risk it.

Looking upwards, a small hole was cut in the metal of the manhole cover, and it looked like a streetlight was on up above. Good, that meant it was nighttime, and gave my eyes some time to adjust.

Quickly, I climb up, eager to finally get topside again. When I reached the last rung, I push up against the manhole cover and slide it over, pulling myself up and looking around. I was at a crossroads, the moon high in the sky. It was midnight.

The place was deserted, obviously, probably the one lone manhole cover for miles. I guess I'd gotten lucky. I looked at a sign, squinting slightly for the light bouncing off of it was kind of annoying, but I managed to make out what it said.

'**Everglades National Park: North Branch'**

Perfect. At least now I'd be able to get this reeking stench off of me.

A little while later after trudging through marsh I'd managed to find a relatively fresh water pond free of crocodiles and other hazardous wildlife. After an awkward stop at a gas station down the road from the preserve to get myself some fresh clothing, I found a secluded area in the woods where I could bathe myself silently.

I sunk down into the freezing pond, laying my back on the grass that coiled over into the pond slightly, it providing for a nice cushion. It was nice to finally be able to see normally. And to bathe for that matter, too bad this water was so damn cold.

I brought myself back to reality when I heard a twig snap. Immediately I sink my body low into the pond, sliding backwards under the overhanging roots and grass from above me, my body sinking into the mud.

I knew it was Anubis, it had to be. Besides, who else could it have been, he probably grew tired of the sewers after having to frantically search for me and came up here to look for me. I could only hope to god I still smelled bad enough that he wouldn't be able to recognize my scent.

I shut my eyes praying to every great power I knew of that it wasn't him. And then I open them, almost chuckling at my own sorry self.

Here I was, ass naked in some farm in a remote area of the Everglades, probably scared of some deer or small animal scavenging for food in the forest, just trying to get by. And my paranoid self is blowing it all out of proportion because of the situation I've been put into.

I almost stood up. _Almost. _

And that's probably what saved my life because right at that moment, a humanoid figure appeared in the woods across the pond from me, **out of thin air.**

I sit there, my heart nearly stopping for I could see what it was doing, a crocodile, yes, it had a crocodile in its right hand. It was….holding a...what-800, 900 pound American crocodile in its bare hand?

But what it did next was even more worse, no, more _horrifying_.

It pulled the skull from its head, and threw the body aside, just like that.

I think I peed a little bit.

And now, I was too preoccupied with the perfect, unscratched crocodile skull that I hadn't realized that this creature, this...Predator, was staring straight at me.


	5. Chapter V: Inundation

**Chapter V: Inundation**

Our glances were locked, I was a dead man. I try to swallow down the fear as I don't move a muscle, sunk down in the pond up to my mouth, oh yeah, and I was completely exposed.

Naked, nothing to defend myself with, etc. It took all my effort not to start crying like a baby as I thought of the skin being stripped from my skull and my naked body being left there to rot.

Suddenly being defiled by Anubis didn't sound as bad to me as it should have.

This creature stared at me for the longest time before disappearing completely, and somehow that scared me more. Until I realized that it wasn't invisible, it was just using some sort of advanced camouflage. I could see the distorted lines revealing its frame as it stalked closer to the pond, closer to _me_.

I bite my lip and look up at the overhang above me, praying for my life. Praying for Anubis to come back to fight the thing off. Anything really would've been better for what I assumed this creature had in store for me right now.

I could see the ripples from the water being disturbed as it entered the pond, unfazed as it kept stalking closer to me until it was right in front of me, the only thing separating us a measly bunch of overhanging roots/grass. It removed its camouflage and suddenly rushed forwards, planting its hands on the dirt above ferociously, trying to get a reaction I presume.

I didn't move, I didn't even breathe. I could see it up close now, it had a mask on, some sort of metal, as well as a metal contraption on its shoulder that resembled a cannon. It had a weirdly reptilian looking body, different shades of foliage green covering it. What looked like a fishing net of some sort covered its body.

_Kinky. _

I mentally shake my head. Cracking jokes in the face of death was a quirk of mine. The strange dreadlock-like hair atop its head draped over its shoulders as it looked down, it seemed like it was scanning for something...me?

Suddenly it stands to its full height, after hearing a stick snap to its right somewhere, it turns its camouflage back on and walks to its right, walking out of the pond without giving me a second glance. Its leg brushed mine on its way out, it hardly noticing.

I sat there quiet as ever until I was certain it was gone, and then some until my muscles finally relaxed and I started breathing normally again.

"What the fuck." I whisper as I start to stand.

_**Later**_

I finished pulling the grey sweatpants on and white t-shirt, wincing slightly at the horrendous attire I was forced to wear in this predicament. Sure it was hard to look at and the pants were uncomfortable but at least I wasn't naked.

I'm pretty sure streaking is still illegal in most states anyways.

I'd managed to find a car up aways at the gas station that wasn't occupied by anyone at the moment. This was the small place that I'd gotten my clothing from, I felt bad having to steal a car, but technically I was already a felon.

Although one part of me was telling me that I had nothing to lose, the other was saying that I could still prove my innocence, but doing this would just drag me deeper in the eyes of the law. Before I could make a choice I heard a scuffle coming from inside the store.

I turned away from the car and looked through the window to see the cashier arguing with someone who was blocked by a rack of food items, out of sight. Slowly, I walk to the door, making my way inside the store, the bell that indicated whenever a customer entered or left the store rang over my head, neither of them seemed to notice however.

It was becoming more clear what was happening now as I snuck past some of the racks of small playthings and food and whatnot, I could see through a hole in the metal rack in front of me that the man arguing with the cashier had a gun and was wearing a ski balaclava.

"Empty the register now you old fuck!" The man yells as the cashier just stands there with his hands in the air, obviously he didn't understand a lot of English. He looked foreign as well. Suddenly he looks at me and his eyes widen, pointing at me.

Stupid old man! The man with the gun turns and points at me, a scowl on his face. "Stand up! NOW!" He says and I stand, my hands automatically went to the back of my head as I stand, walking out from behind the rack of items.

The man aims his gun at my chest and suddenly a woman with her own gun walks out from the back room. She speaks into a radio she had on her shoulder. "Target is in our possession, time to move." She says.

My mouth drops. "Millie?" I say, for the woman looked just like my next door neighbor. The next door neighbor who was a robot droid. The next door neighbor I'd plunged a knife into. The woman doesn't answer me, and her jaw just hardens as she aims at me as well now, the man from before walking right up to me, the barrel of his gun practically touching my forehead.

Suddenly I hear the sound of ropes and glance to the left, men had rappelled down the side of the convenience store, side by side in front of the front doors holding automatic weapons and aiming through the windows.

The man behind the register looks at all of this in confusion as he says something in a different language. The woman receives a message from her radio that I couldn't quite make out and she nods to herself seemingly, looking at the ground for a minute as she raises her arm and shoots the cashier without even looking at him.

"NO!" I scream, but it was too late, he was dead with the first shot.

"Hey, shut it ki-" The man in front of me couldn't even finish his sentence before the sound of glass shattering shuts him up, he looks to the side, I don't even glance as I take this moment to my advantage, grabbing his arm with my left hand and grabbing the hand holding the gun with the other.

I twist upwards and hit him in the face with the gun, wrestling it from his grip as I take it and aim at the woman in the corner, starting to aim her gun at me. I shoot her in between her eyes and she falls to her knees, her gun going off as she falls over, the man in front of me, who was clutching his nose with one hand made a move to grab at me but I shoot him in the face and it was over. Inside at least.

I drop the gun, wondering how I'd managed a feat such as that. I'd never shot a gun before in my life, hell I'd never been in a close up combat situation save for some of the things I was taught in my self defense classes but that wasn't for real that was just simulated.

I'd just killed two people without a second glance. Now I look towards the entrance to see what had the 'robber' so entranced. And there it stood, the monster from the pond. The Predator. The two men who'd rappelled down were dead, either of them having two pronged blades shoved through their chests and into the window. The creature stood there staring at me before pulling both hands away from the dead men and suddenly disappeared.

I rush out of the store, past the men hanging there dead to see half of a SWAT team dead at the gas station. I quickly got in the car that had been parked there, a Hyundai, and was so thankful that the keys were in the ignition. I back out of the lot and turn around hitting the gas as I head south.

As I look in my rearview mirror I see a helicopter with a spotlight on the gas station, and suddenly it starts spinning madly, its back rotor having been jammed by something as it descends madly into the gas station, causing a large explosion to occur. One that I could _feel _from nearly a quarter mile away.

I turn back towards the road and something in the middle of a crossroad makes me hit the brakes and I hit my forehead on the steering wheel.

I pull backwards, holding a hand to my mouth dazed as I see blood on my fingertips. But what had its hands on the dashboard of the car shocked me more.

Anubis.

That same old smirk, somehow having taken a more sadistic curvature to it stares at me from outside the car.

_'Hello...darling...'_ I can hear him from inside the car, for the windows were all opened. His claws dance against the car hood as he slowly stalks towards me, his tail swishing behind him.

I hit the gas, suddenly he's caught on the grill and a bloodcurdling screech is heard, he reaches for me in vain from across the hood.

I almost feel bad.

I stop accelerating, but his body doesn't. He falls off the front of the car and rolls until he's out of the intersection, unmoving.

I pant slightly, clutching at my chest, not knowing why I felt so winded all of a sudden. I was about to regain my composure when I look to the right so see a semi truck barreling towards my car. I had no time to react as it smashed into the side of the Hyundai and I lose consciousness.

I felt weightless. That was until the crushing pain in my chest and head hit. I groan, vision blurred as the light hurt my eyes. I was being dragged by someone, unceremoniously, as they gripped me by my leg whilst dragging me.

I couldn't tell who it was, just by how the morning sun burned my eyes so I couldn't look at them, but eventually I slipped out of consciousness again, and when I awoke I wasn't moving. I heard hissing and growling. Shadows blocked out the sun as they scuffled, I could only hear muffled voices for my ears were ringing so loud.

I slip out of consciousness again and when I wake up, there was a dreadful quiet. Suddenly my hearing comes back and I suddenly smell flesh. Burning flesh. It filled my nostrils and made me gag, I sit up and look around, I was in the middle of a heap of scrap metal, a turnt over gasoline truck and the Hyundai not far behind me.

The vehicles were hardly recognizable. I could tell I was dragged out of the car from the trail of blood that led to it. I slowly stand, smoke filling my nostrils as well, I walk away from the mess of the vehicles to see a warzone. Overturned police vehicles, downed helicopters, dead bodies everywhere. It was a living nightmare. My jaw loosely hangs open halfway as I look around holding my arm. It was bleeding.

Anubis was nowhere in sight, I hadn't the slightest clue what had happened to him. A van with the same logo from down in the sewers was resting on its side. Weyland-Yutani. I knew there was definitely significance at this point. Suddenly, a noise comes from inside the van. I slowly make my way around back, the doors had fallen off and there was a man laying down inside, his right leg was gone.

My hand goes to my mouth as I lean over to the side and throw up, heaving until nothing else would come out. I was beginning to feel slightly malnourished. The man groaned slightly and I gasped, turning back to him.

"O-Oh my god, you're alive?" I say when I see one of his eyes open, the other one was swollen shut. "What…..what the hell happened to you…" I say, looking at him astonished and terrified at the same time.

"There weren't...enough of us...it just kept...killing…" He coughs, blood comes out. "Okay...okay calm down, I'm going to call an ambulance, you're going to be okay...Rick" I say after looking at the name on his badge, trying to reassure him until he raises his gun and I back up slightly, holding my hands out about to open his mouth when suddenly I'm shoved to the side.

I fell through the ground and turned around to see the creature from the woods and the gas station grabbing the man by his neck after a few shots went off from Rick. "No, NO!" I yell, standing up, but it was too late. The creature stabbed its wrist blades into Rick's face, and just like that he died.

As if remembering I were there, it turned its head to the side and tossed Rick's dead body to the ground. It took a few steps towards me, me mimicking it by stepping back until my back was to a police cruiser. It stopped and suddenly three dots forming a triangle lit up on its mask and a sort of laser sight protruded from it, landing right on my forehead.

I stand defiantly, gripping my fists tightly. It may have seemed like I was trying to look intimidating or maintain my composure but in truth I was scared out of my mind. I'd seen what this thing could do to people, how it could tear the flesh from a skeleton like it was a piece of cloth.

"Why are you _doing _this?" I say, my voice choked slightly. It tilted its head, as if examining me before looking at something above me and hissing,

"s'yuit-de kiande amedha!" the creature hisses, I look over my shoulder to see Anubis crouching on top of the overturned police cruiser. He lets out a death screech and jumps over me, tackling the Predator. He looks over his shoulder as he had the creature pinned to the ground.

"_Run!" _he hisses in an acidic tone. He didn't have to tell me twice.

I took off, my legs pulling me as fast and far away from the bloody battlefield as they could. I ran down the road, sprinting until I felt like my legs were going to start to bleed. I collapse to my knees, covering my face with my hands as I feel my throat tighten with mourn.

I was getting everyone killed.

If I hadn't ever left Anubis this wouldn't have happened. I could've just let him do whatever sick twisted thing he needed to do and then waited for him to go back to normal. I could've saved countless numbers of lives.

_Stop_. I tell myself. _Those men and women were there to kidnap you, make you pay for a crime you didn't commit. They would've hurt you a lot worse, if anything you were lucky Anubis and that thing were there to stop them. _

I knew I was right, there was no way I could've taken out that many armed soldiers on my own, hell, from the way Anubis and that creature looked they were starting to have trouble themselves. But now I was free from them. Free from the mayhem, for now at least.

Now it was time for the real work to begin.

_**Later**_

**Sarasota, FL 12:04 PM EST**

I'd managed to hitchhike my way back home, back to my block where surprisingly there were no cops at my house, just some yellow tape and that was it. I snuck in using a ladder from the garage to go in through my bedroom window, where I grabbed my backpack out of my closet, emptied the school supplies out of it, and started packing it with clothing.

I run to Rachel's room, rummaging through her drawers for money and credit cards. I'd managed to scrape up maybe 400$ from around the house and a few of Rachel's debit cards and credit cards. In the garage Rachel's boyfriend had left his obnoxious Mustang, for they'd taken Rachel's car to go to the airport. Asshole even left his keys in the kitchen.

I get in the car, throwing my bag in the passenger seat, putting the keys in the ignition and driving off the driveway. It was here that I truly started my journey to discover who had put out the warrant for my arrest, and just how Weyland-Yutani played into all of this.

My first stop was the Weyland-Yutani sub-lab in the outskirts of Sarasota, where there were supposed tests being done on non-earthly organisms. Non-earthly was an understatement. If Anubis had been sent from there, I'd most likely find what I wanted.

But unfortunately, when I got there there was nothing to be found. Torn to the ground. I hold my laptop screen with the picture of the building out in front of me, placing it where it should have been on this lot. The building had been completely torn down in less than a week.

My only choice was to head to one of their larger offices in Miami, where a subsidiary of the main headquarters was located, as well as a surplus of different labs focusing on the supposed unearthly research, as well as weapons development branch and oddly enough, a whole laboratory for alien archaeology. I sat in the car on the road outside of the torn down building sighing as I rubbed my temples reading the article on the building on my laptop.

"Alright….Miami it is…" I say and close the laptop.

_**3 Hours Later**_

**Miami, FL 4:34 PM EST**

The drive wasn't the hard part, it was the fact that I knew if any cop pulled me over and asked me for my license he'd recognize me, seeing as how the media was loving me right now, and I'd be handed over to the Feds immediately.

I needed to know what was happening, why I'd been thrown into this mess, how I could have a fluent English conversation with a Xenomorph for fuck sake! I grip the steering wheel. _You need to calm down_. I tell myself. _Get some rest. You'll feel better in the morning_. I was beginning to wonder when I'd start to argue with my own conscience.

I manage to find a small motel, in a black hoodie that I'd pulled from my house now, wearing sunglasses and a simple snapback hat as well. I tried to maintain a casual look even though I was undercover, so as not to maintain too much suspicion.

I sign in to the front desk and give her Rachel's credit card, she doesn't seem to acknowledge that a teenage boy was using a 30 year old womans' credit card and gives me the room key, smiling politely.

"Have a nice stay, Rachel." She says and I nod awkwardly, walking to my room. I drop my bag on the floor when I get in, unpacking everything before walking out onto the third floor balcony to look at the view. It wasn't on the waterfront but it had a pretty nice view of Downtown Miami. I smile lightly as I watch the setting sun for a bit and then close the blinds, walking into the bathroom to get into the shower.

About a half hour later I was sitting in bed, on my laptop looking up everything I could about the Weyland-Yutani corporation. It was a pretty reserved company, they didn't openly tell the public what went on behind closed doors, which I suppose was smart but didn't help me in this case.

I decided I'd been up long enough and turned off my laptop, setting it on the table beside me before turning off the light, also on the table besides me, and laying down to sleep.

I awoke around 2 in the morning, the first thing registering was the sound of rain hitting the balcony outside. All was calm until the sound of breathing jolted my eyes back open. Yes, breathing, at least a noise resembling breathing. Strangely regular...it was definitely breathing. I slowly look over my shoulder. There was someone in the bathroom. A blue light was glowing from under the door.

I grab the taser out of my backpack and get out of bed. It was Rachel's, she didn't hide her things very well as one would have figured by now. I silently, slowly walk towards the bathroom. Gulping, I grip the taser tightly and burst into the room to find no one there. Just a strange looking tray with weird glowing blue rocks sitting on the sink.

I don't even bother to figure why they were there and toss the tray in the garbage sighing as I turn around walking out of the room. Suddenly there was a knife being held to my neck. "I'd drop that weapon if I were you." It was a male voice. They didn't have to tell me twice. I drop the taser to the floor, the knife doesn't leave my neck.

"I'm assuming that display in there was to get me out of bed?" I say, and the man behind me chuckles. "Perhaps, although I had in mind to clean up the wounds your serpentine friend inflicted upon me earlier." My eyes widen suddenly and I look down at the wrist of the man. Two rigid wrist blades were being held to my neck. I gasp and he lets go as I push myself away from him, almost not wanting to turn around.

I do however, as I stumble over a chair, my back to the floor now as I scramble backwards. Lighting flashes and I can see the silhouette of the creature from the gas station standing before me. "Y-you…." I breathe. "You can speak English too?" I whisper and it-…._he_ tilts his head.

"English? I know not what you speak of; _you _are speaking _my _language, ooman." He retracts his wrist blades, staring down at me as I stand, feeling naked without a weapon. "N-no...that's...that's impossible. I'm speaking English right now, you are too!" Suddenly he rushes forwards and grabs my neck, pushing me up against the wall. I fear for my life again.

"If you do not quiet down _pup_, I will have to make you. Now, if you wouldn't mind, I would like to know who and where you were taught my language so fluently." The Predator stares me down like he knew one of my most darkest secrets and I grit my teeth.

"Is that the only reason you came here? It would've been more pleasant if you'd bought me dinner first…" A feel a smug grin tug at my lips but before it can plant itself on my face he throws me into the chair across the room, me landing in it perfectly somehow.

He growls, "Stop playing games with me ooman, I was on vacation before you and that detestable hard meat showed up and ruined everything! Now my superiors are questioning why I haven't explained the fact that they're receiving reports of a hard meat running around ravaging the streets of your ooman cities!" I couldn't stop myself from grinning at his infuriated words.

"Sounds like you need a vacation from your vacation." A smug grin colored my face now and the wrist blades of this Predator are suddenly out and he lunges at me, he traps my neck in between the blades as they go through the chair, coming very close to my face.

"I have let you live longer than any ooman I've met thus far, and that is only because you are placed slightly more valuable than any other because of how we can communicate so seamlessly. I am needing to find out why, so unless you tell me, I will kill you and find out for myself." He says slowly, and darkly.

I grit my teeth again, looking down at the blades. I figured I had too much shit to get done to die so I opened my mouth. "You are not the only...otherworldly creature I can speak with. The xenomorph attacked you to allow me to escape….we communicate through telepathy. Well, semi-telepathy. Right now I know as much as you do. All I know is that that same xenomorph was released upon my school and that someone covered it up, and put a warrant out for my arrest," I explain.

"My best guess is that that same someone was concocting some sick experiment on Xenomorph behaviors and we were the collateral damage. Until someone escaped who knew what happened and could expose this person for what they had done. So they're after me now, and their science project." I explain as best I could.

The Predator was silent for a long time before he removed the blades from my neck. "What is your name, ooman?" He asks. I didn't want to tell him at first but it didn't seem like he was too keen to kill me anymore so I spoke up.

"Knox. Knox Ryker." My glance shifts slightly but he nods his head back.

"Ah, _N'ahks_...pleasure to meet you. My name is ka'Torag-na Halkrath of the Yautja race. In….English, as you call it, that is Lurking Shadow. I have decided to follow you on your journey to discover who has wronged you and what makes you so special, for I believe fate has crossed our paths. I no longer wish to kill you." He puts his hand on my shoulder and shakes slightly. Not sure what that was but I go with it assuming it was some sort of greeting.

"Yeah...that's...reassuring….so, uh...ka-somethingsomething. You mind if I just call you Halkrath? It's not as much of a mouthful and sounds a bit cooler in my opinion." I ask sheepishly.

"You...wish to just call me Shadow? Well...I suppose if it is easier for you to say than there is no harm in it," suddenly there is a knock at the door and Halkrath looks over my shoulder. "were you expecting guests N'ahks?" I look at the door as I hear Miami PD yelling from behind it.

"Well, if by guests you mean SWAT, then yes, but not until a little later. These guys are what you might call fashionably early." I walk to the side of my bed and pick up my backpack, starting to shove all of my things into it.

"SWAT? I have never heard such a term." Halkrath says indifferently as he scans the door. Shot in the dark but I was guessing he saw their weapons and realized their intentions. "Oh…" He says silently.

"Yeah, we should probably go." I say as I put my hoodie on and walk towards the balcony. "Understood, I already have transportation ready for us." Halkrath says and presses a button on a contraption on his wrist and suddenly a small alien ship floating outside the window of my motel room. Talk about invasion of privacy, almost made me wonder how long Halkrath had been there watching me sleep.

"Come!" Halkrath yells as he'd already jumped across, I look over my shoulder once more before jumping up to the railing and leaping to the ship. Halkrath grabs my hand and pulls me up, his other hand going to my back as he ushers me in, a shot going off from his shoulder cannon and into the motel room, blowing it up almost entirely as the windows had completely been blown outward.

Before I knew it I feel the sensation of the ship taking off and flying into the Miami skies, having narrowly escaped the authorities yet again, all I knew is it certainly wouldn't be the last time, and this theme would definitely persist for a while.

_**To Be Continued… **_


End file.
